Been watching lots of 90s games last few weeks and one thing that stands out is that despite claims to contrary, the Wigan players back in the 90s were every bit as fit as today. Id even go as far as to say the props were fitter. The game was every bit as fast, if not faster and the props played long minutes without a break and never looked out on their feet like so many do today after 20 minutes. Kelvin Skerrett was doing 60+ minutes without any noticeable drop off in intensity. Why are todays props so unfit when they have better training facilities and nutrition? Is it a mental thing because they know they will be coming off at a certain time or are they really only able to manage 20 minutes?

One other observation, the early 90s Wigan teams would beat todays team easily. The attacking play was on another planet.

In 10 years time we will have the same discussion about fitness now (then) and the fitness of the players in the future.

After all the implants and genetic modificatons of course

And there was not the number of substitutions like we have now, just two substitutes which were more often than not a back and a forward.

Teams defend far better today than in the early '90s. We were also playing oppositions who might have had only one or two full time pro players compared to Wigan who had a full squad of full timers.

Smaller players, less players involved in the tackle, and a 5 metre rule probably meant the required fitness levels then were lower.

10 metres in the 90's

From 1993 and defences took a couple of years to adapt.

Any excuse to try and belittle Wigans success back then and how good we were.

no they didnt

You were good no doubt about that ! You signed all the best players and were one of only 2 full time teams , unfortunately it meant eventually you had to sell your ground
and you are still suffering from it now .

2/10. Must try harder

yeah we never won anything since.....

like Hanley, Iro, Schofield, Tait and the Widnes pack, look at our teams in the 94 final and look at how many came through the youth system from both teams, you had 3 we had 7 in the 15 but we bought everyone?

Leeds fans try to forget they were the richest club in the league because it won them the square root of nothing.

Let's just say its a good job we weren't allowed to compete in the Yorkshire Cup as well.

It gave them something to polish now and again I suppose.

I agree with the OP, though. like that game up top on Wigan TV today, 1991 v Wire. There's a hell of a lot of ball movement (OK, a lot of it backwards, from Wire), and also a lot of high-impact collision. And actually, and this is something that helped to draw me in to love the game at that time, despite the odd punch-up, the relative lack of foul play, and the scarcity of whistle-blowing. but of course, refs let a lot go in those days which they would never do in the modern era.

The game could be frantic back then. I just dont buy this idea that the modern game is faster, its not. The question still remains, why are most of todays props so unfit? Most of them are gasping for air after 15/20 minutes. It would be fascinating to see some of the best 90s players play the modern game. I expect they would kill it such have the standards dropped at the top of the league but we have just got used to it as normal.

As usual , the part of the post which is most important where you had to sell your ground is ignored

Hardly surprising is it, when other clubs and councils like St Helens and Warrington had more sense!

You mean like all the parts of your comments that have nothing to do with the OP.
But to keep you happy. Yes we sold the ground and now rent a stadium.... so what?

The most important part to you, the reason was the cost of the new stand that cost millions more than quoted, but don’t let facts get in the way

And won't be struggling through this current economic crisis half as much as Leeds will be due to not owning said ground.

And Leeds would've gone bust a long time ago without Caddick.

And yet, in the NRL, the likes of JWH play big minutes, old man Gallen played 80 mins usually, and so on and so on.

So yeah, no excuse.